The Attached white paper file describes the video retrofit project of the Lincoln California Stake. We moved from coax based video distribution to 1080p via Cat 6 cabling (8 - 10 viewing locations per building). This system is functioning extremely well and was a relatively low cost solution, about $1,100 - $1,200 per building.

I am hopeful this paper will prove useful to other Stakes.

The next phase of our retrofit will include on demand video for classroom instruction via Apple TV's and iTunes (in house media vault).

we received reports of some members skipping Stake Conference because of the poor audio and video. This suggests that the quality of the technology was getting in the way of the members seeing and hearing their leaders as they were teaching the saints in the Stake.

I only skimmed the paper. It appears that more screens where added. That may have been more important then the switch to HD. But what changes were made to audio quality?

Have you searched the Wiki?
Try using a Google search by adding "site:tech.lds.org/wiki" to the search criteria.

Yes, we did more than extra monitors. We tapped into the sound system of the building as well. With an Apple TV, you get dual audio, so audio goes down the HDMI cable but also simultaneously out toslink, or fiber optics, this I connected to a D to A converter and then into the aux input of the amplifiers.

In the Stake Center R.S. room, I put an Apple Airport Express which is hard wired into the building network. This provides solid wifi in the room but it also provides audio into the RS room sound system. This allows AirPlay audio from IOS devices (and OSX ) to be wirelessly control sound. It works well for prelude music.

AirPlay to the RS room also means that a secondary language can be sent to only that room for Stake conference.

For Youth meetings, the Apple TV allows us to play Mormon messages as a prelude.

Finally, we have a HDMI connection from the satellite receiver to the building sound system.

The installed satellite system should have been connected to the chapel sound. The RS room may or may not have had the ability to serve as a overflow of the chapel. But if not, a "crab box" could have connected it to the TV.

So I'm not sure where the improvements in audio came in since it seems you're still using the same speaker system, just getting the signal to it in a slightly different way.

Yes, the Satellite does go directly into the building sound system but I opt for web based broadcasts because the video quality seems better.

With sound into our RS rooms, if the sound comes from the chapel, it is clear enough. When the sound came from the coax, the sound was often crackly or just poor. Our second building tended to have really poor sound from broadcasts. Moving to this new system has removed the problem. The problem has not been in the amplification system but rather the audio feed to the amplification. The real problem was the coax system and its associated components.

Being able to feed audio from wireless devices has been a very nice improvement to the audio system.

While we do have a "Crab Box" and it works, the solution is not a clean and simple as what we have. Anyone with an IOS device who has the password (a carefully guarded item) can place sound on the system. Connecting into the sound system in the say the cultural hall via a crab box can be pain. Yes it works but ... Airplay is really convenient. A few times we have even pushed the Mormon Chanel through the sound system via Airplay (an iPod Touch).

russellhltn wrote:Sounds like the old system for broadcasts had some defects that were not being addressed. I know I did have to have the distribution amp replaced for some problem.

I agree, and with the addition of a simple mic/wall plate from Emtech and available for FM to purchase the crab box can almost be eliminated. The plate has a reg mic input plus the attenuated input for MP3 or laptop etc... it was shown in a previous but recent broadcast.

How much of this did your local FM group support / provide, as this is all a permanent building Modification?

Monoprice.com has discontinue the dual cable solution for the HDMI over cat 6, but their single cable solution seems to be updated to allow more resolutions. I have just ordered two of the 1x4 HDMI over cat6 for the Hill Cumorah Pageant back stage video.